1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and sensor for adjusting sensor vertical alignment, and more particularly to a technique in which, when vertical alignment of a sensor mounted in a vehicle becomes incorrect, this misalignment is detected to adjust the vertical alignment of the sensor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the recent development of vehicle intelligence technologies, the intelligence technologies such as an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system and a stop and go system for following a leading vehicle, a blind spot detection (BSD) system for detecting a vehicle blind zone, a lane change assist (LCA) system for safely changing a lane, a pre-crash system and a collision avoidance system for preventing collision with a leading vehicle, etc. are applied to the vehicles. These intelligence technologies essentially require sensors such as a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc. to carry out their own functions, and are allowed to perform correct functions only when correct information is detected by these sensors.
However, the sensors mounted in the vehicle may be subjected to a change in position or direction due to collision accidents, decrepitude of the vehicle. When this situation occurs, the accuracy of information detected by the sensors is reduced, and thus various systems using these sensors may cause a problem with their functions. Accordingly, when the positions or directions of the sensors mounted in the vehicle are changed due to collision accidents, decrepitude of the vehicle, the alignment of each sensor must be adjusted with respect to its horizontal and vertical planes. In the case of the radar sensor mounted in the vehicle, its horizontal alignment is automatically adjusted by software, but its vertical alignment is not adjusted automatically. As such, whenever it is necessary to adjust the vertical alignment of the radar sensor, its service must be given.